Apparatus for testing tubes by fluid pressure



July 27, 1948 H. s. FULLERTQN APPARATUS FR TESTING TUBES BY FLUID PRESSURE Filed Maron 51, 14945 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVEN TOR.

.SEQ e July 27,1948. H s, FULLER-TGN 2,445,876

APPARATUS FOR TESTING TUBES BY FLUID PRESSURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 3l, 1945 Patented July 27, 1948 APPARATUS Fon TESTING .TUBES BY FLUID PRESSURE:

Herbert S. Fullerton, Merion, Pa., assigner to The `Baldwin Locomotive Works,

4 Pennsylvania Application March 31, 1945, serial 4 claims. (o1. 'z3- 374i This invention relates generally to tube testing equipment and particularly for testing tubes under hydraulic pressure.

Heretofore it has been customary to test pipe only under circumferential tensile stresses as by i' subjecting the same to internal hydraulic pressure. It is an object of my invention to overcome the deficiencies of this method of testing by providing improved means whereby the tube may be subjected to tension stresses longitudinally as I in construction, operation and maintenance and can be operated with dispatch, accuracy and ease of manipulation.

Other objects and advantages will be more apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description of the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary sectional view of my improved testing apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken substantially on the -line 2-2 of Fig. 1 with certain parts broken away to show details of construction; and

Fig. 3 is afragmentary perspective of one of the grips for imposing a longitudinal tension load on the tube.

In the drawings I have shown for purposes of illustration an apparatus having two gripping mechanisms generally indicated at I and 2 located respectively at each end of the tube under test, these mechanisms being substantially iden- "tical in construction and operation and therefore the description of one will sufce for both. A relatively large vertical standard 3 has a cylindrical sleeve 4 on which an axially movable packing gland 5 and suitable annular packing 6 is mounted. The packing gland 5 is slidably supported in a series of bosses or guides 'I supported on and projecting axially from the standard 3. A pipe 8 to be tested is supported within a recessed end of gland 5 containing the packing 6 while radial packing 9 surrounds the tube. Fluid pressure from a pump or other source may be suitably admitted to the interior of the tube 8 through a passage I0 and thereby subject the tube to an internal pressure and accordingly a cira corporation of No: 585,947; i

cumferential tension. The standard 3 kmay be moved longitudinally on any suitable wheel and track construction II to permit the tube to be placed in position or to be removed while suitable locking means such as pins and holesmay be employed to lock the standards against longitudinal movement during the longitudinal tension testing operation to now be described. i

The longitudinal testing mechanism comprises a series of radially disposed guiding heads I2 of any suitable number located around the circumference of the pipe as shown in Fig. `2, these heads being connected togetheras a unit through suitable circumferentially extendingwebs I3 which, in turn, are secured by bolts or screws I4 to a radial flange I5 of the packing gland member 5; Each guide has a radially movablegrip or shoe I6 of any suitable cross-sectional shape preferably rectangular as shown in Fig. 3. The inner end` of this grip is curved to conform tothe radius `of the pipe and is provided Witha roughened gripping surface Il which may be carborundum integrally formed on the main metal body of the grip, as by being formed directly thereon under heat and Vpressure in a manner well-known in the manufacture of carborundum products, or if desired, the grip I6 may be provided `with wellknown gripping teeth used in testing tension specimens in materials testing machines. Hence, the same need not be shown or described herein as such teeth are well-known in the art. To move the grips into and out of gripping position, I have provided toggle links I8 and I9 respectively pivotally connected to the grip at 20 and. to the guide head I2 at 2I while the links are pivotally connected together at 22 for connection through a pivotal link with a piston rod 23 whose piston 24 is disposed within a cylinder 25 for movement in either direction by any suitable fluid. power such as hydraulic pressure. The cylinders 25 are connected to and supported by guides I2 through rods 25 so that the cylinders are adapted to have movement with the guides and gland 5 as a unit.

Operation-One of the gripping mechanisms such as I is moved away from the other mechanism 2 sufficiently to allow a tube 8 under test to be placed in position axially of the glands 5 whereupon the` gripping mechanism I is moved so that the tube is fully telescoped within the packing glands at each end. The standard 3 is then locked in position and fluid pressure is supplied from any suitable source such as a plump to the outer sides of pistons 24 to cause the toggle mechanism I8 and I9 to force the individual grips radially inward to rmly engage the tube 8.

Testing iluid pressure is then admitted through passage I to the interior of the tube which subjects the same to a circumferential tension stress and simultaneously this pressure acts on the eX- posed radial areas 21 of packing glands 5 to impose a longitudinal force thereon in directions tending to -lforce the .gripping Yheads apart. This longitudinal force is transmitted i through .flange I5 and guides I2 to the grips I6 and thence through the gripping surface I'I to the tube :to pull the same longitudinally to impose ra longitudinal stress therein. During such-movementn'f the gland it is seen that cylinder 25 Will float with the guide I2 and gland 5. 'Upon-completion vof the test, uid pressure is released .ffrom the unterior of tube 8 and also from the outer ends of 1. Apparatus for testing a tube undermultiple stresses comprising, in combination, means for subjecting the tube to a radial i'luid pressure so as to create a circumferential stress in the tube, iluid pressure operated means for mechanically engaging the tube to transmit a longitudinal force .thereto, anormally anchored sstationary sleeve, an axially Imovable packing .gland surrounding said sleeve for engagement therewith and to tvvhich said mechanical engaging means is Connected for Vmovement together as a unit, and

"meansgprov'i'ding'a fluid pressure area upon which irs piston 24 whereupon fluid pressure supplied to the inner sides of these pistons will release the grips I6. Thereupon the standard 3 maybe ainlocked and moved lengthwise away from the tube to permit remova-lof .the latter.

fErom the lforegoing descriptionfi-t fis .-seen that I l'have provided an extremely simple, 'eiective and lrugged: mechanism whereby -the :tube may be subjected to tension stresses lfloot-h circumferentially. and longitudinallyfa-ndfin the specific `aspect of vthis .mechanism rthe rforegoing :multiple :testing stresses are eiected :by .the application fof va com-mon `fluid pressure which automatically 'creates a radial fluid .pressure fwithinithe :tube and a `longitudinal.kfluid force 'for lpulling Von fthe tube. LItlis, "of course, @clear :from the disclosure herein --that --the longitudinal force .is determined by thefdiiferenceinarea-between the; annular'area of the :pipeand .the annular ireeessed Iarea .211 vci gland 5. Theilongitudinalforce may be increased or decreased :merelylby :providing sa suitable -diflferential Tarea. Also, to :accommodate :the vapparatus to Vpipes fof different diameters, it `.isY only necessary fto have 'fadditionalfsets of substitute grips Iz :Withtthefgripping races fI 1 curved `to suit the diameter Aof 'pipe under test.

It 'will `of fcourse be -:understood that Various changes tin :details fof rconstruction :and .arrangement'of parts nray'be'made by fthose skilled :in 'the "art YWithout "departing .from 4the v'spirit .of the invention fas uset 'forth rin 'the appended fclaims.

fluid Within the tube acts so as to move and slide saidunitxaxallysalong said sleeve thereby to create .'-ianddmposefa'longitudinal load force on the tube. 2. The-combination set forth in claim 1 further characterized .in l,that the packing gland'has an characterized in that Athe-meansnfor.mechanically engaging 'the tube includes-fluid operatedpistorrs and'cylinders and radially movable :grippinge'lements actuated by said pistons -andfcyli'ndersgand means for supporting said pistons .andfcyl-inders sothat theysmoveas an integralipant-@ofthe unit While the longitudinal testing fforce. :is :being produced. p v 5 HERBERT S.

.REFERENCES vCITED The ifollowing:references are ci' record in the of this :patent: Y l

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name SDate '1;034,426 Crisandt` `fitug. VV6, :1912 '1,851,345 :Brown-etal lMar. 29,11932 2,242,658 Protn May20., @1941 ,2,293,471 lProtin.. Aug. .218, $1942 BannisterA -Dec .14, 19523 

